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The United Nations selected Accenture to do this latest survey of its Global Compact members, with more than 750 responders from large, Fortune 500, and global companies. The trend is that CEO's, across industries, are more committed to sustainability than ever before, with perceived benefits of greater trust, brand recognition, and customer loyalty. They are looking to offset social responsibility with lower costs, stronger customer relationships and increased revenues.

This is good news for the small-to-medium sized business (SMB). As new frontiers are conquered by these giants, they are making more sustainable infrastructure, energy, transportation, financing, and utilities available for all businesses. Furthermore, they will be innovating new technologies available to all. And, the SMB can learn from their lessons and best practices, while avoiding their pitfalls. This is a primary tactic of our company in working with our clients, to leverage the knowledge from the "big guys".

However, according to this study, A New Era of Sustainability: UN Global Compact–Accenture CEO Study 2010 by Peter Lacy, Tim Cooper, Rob Hayward and, Lisa Neuberger, "while most CEOs are placing sustainability at the core of their strategies, many are struggling with execution. As we (have demonstrated) with the participants in Sustainability 24, cross-industry conversations are more common in sustainability than in most other business areas, and we believe that executives in every sector can learn from others as they turn ambition into action on the journey to a new era of sustainability."

This is good news to Sustainable Business Systems, as this is the exact strategy we have taken to give our clients the opportunity to do the same, on the SMB scale, with our Systainership™ Officers' Club. This is a true mastermind service, with facilitated meetings to focus on your key business issues, leverage the experience and expertise of your fellow members to do so. We hope you are as excited as we are in the launch of this new program. As it gets off the ground, we would be interested in receiving your comments about how such a program could benefit you in honing your sustainability leadership. You may enter them below.

Dedicated to your success.

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Sometimes the synchronicity of events justs amazes me. Thursday, I was telling my story of how I got involved in sustainability leadership to a business colleague. Key to that story was my atypical Peace Corp experience in Tonga, from 1987-1989. I was assigned to H. R. H. Crown Prince Tupouto'a of Tonga, who was sworn into his new role as H. M. King George Tupou V in 2006.

Long before Andrew Savitz introduced us to the triple-bottom line in his book of the same name in 2002, I lived a triple-bottom-life in Tonga for those two years. I lived and ate sustainbly as the Tongans did, with a great appreciation for the beautiful island archipelago, whose waters were already fished out. I was fulfilling a community service through my assignment, while at the same time, I was indirectly aiding in a more sound economic development through better information management, key to the decision making of this leader. Those two years kicked-off my interest in bringing sustainability into business.

Yesterday, I was watching the royal wedding of William and Kate along with 3 billion other viewers. And, to my surprise, I got to see H. M. King George on the screen, almost 22 years later, as he entered the majestic Westminster Abbey, looking dashing in his long coat, aiding his step with an elegant cane. (I suspect his guot is still troublesome.) ABC reported that there were only 40 royals from other countries, out of 1900 guests, and he was one of just a handful caught by their camera during the event. It was such a treat to see him, and reconnect more vividly to the journey which brings me here today, serving leaders who want to grow their businesses sustainably.

These synchronous events reminded me how important it is to take time to reconnect with our roots, the core drivers of what we do. I feel a new energy and excitement after this. This visitation to the past seems to solidify my vision for this business even more. It also brought to mind how closely I am connected to the world, as everyone is, by reaching out to those we know. I am only separated from H. M. the Queen of England, by one, and the rest of her family by two. How amazing. I encourage clients looking for collaborative partners to really explore their business relationships and degrees of separation. An introduction can do wonders.

Now, I wonder if H. M. has the same email address? Hmmm.....

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Today we are moving forward with the regeneration of this business. Many of you know of us as Green Business Coaching. For the past two years, we have been under an effort to develop new information and tools for our clients - ones that will provide a complete arena of support for the leaders of sustainable business development. So, today we are announcing:

This new website to support the rebranding or our business as Sustainable Business Systems.

The beta test launch of our signature Systainership™ Program, a comprehensive program to help leaders collaborate in the development of their sustainability leadership skills, with direct impact on growing triple-based profitability in their company

The forthcoming publication of The Green CEO: Leadership that Drives Profit and Sustainability, by Lynn VanLeeuwen - describing an easy to follow sustainability leadership system that facilitates leadership best practices and collaboration, and is the foundation of the Systainership™ Program.

We look forward to supporting your needs with a wealth of information, training, tools and services as the development of this website continues. To find out more about any of the above, please follow the links. Bookmark our pages to revisit our content often as it expands.

Please comment below to let us know what you think of the new site and also what you would like to see available on the site in the future.